Anonymous digs ahead of more assaults on Scientology

'Time to finish what was started'

The Anonymous collective is moving on from the first anniversary of its protests against the Church of Scientology with a round of further demonstrations.

The next round of global protests will span several weekends. Anonymous claims its campaign has scored a number of successes over the last 12 months, since indignation at attempts to censor the infamous Tom Cruise Scientology ward ceremony video touched off the first round of protests against the church in January 2008, which initially involved online protests, nuisance calls and controversial attempts to blitz Scientology websites. February 2008 marked the start of a ongoing series of monthly protests outside Scientology offices and centres across the world.

The loosely-affiliated group aims to dismantle the Church of Scientology in its current form by exposing what it claims are the "corrupt and abusive practices" of organised Scientology through Project Chanology.

According to Anonymous, the campaign has led to leaks of internal documents and policies about the church. Protests on the streets have emboldened media organisation prompting, for example, Australian TV to screen Scientology lectures that show how adherents are told that all life’s anxieties and worries are "caused by the infestation of dead alien souls". Upcoming lawsuits (examples here and here) will further expose the "scams and scandals" of the Church of Scientology.

The upcoming release of John Duignan’s book The Complex: An Insider Exposes the Covert World of the Church of Scientology, which is legally blocked from sale in the UK, will "serve to raise awareness about Scientology in the UK, as well as any country whose citizens heard about this censorship".

In a statement, Anonymous said: "Scientology operatives still continue to paint Anonymous in a negative light as a means of distracting attention from Scientology operations and attempting to discredit those who bring truth to the issues at hand. It just isn’t working.

"It has been some 12 months – time to finish what was started," it adds. ®